Ever
spent some time in a college dorm? As an almost entirely clueless
incoming freshman? With no friends and no idea where to find
some? Well, I sure as hell have, and I can tell you this: before Undeclared,
no television series had even come close to recapturing
what it feels like: the awkwardness of meeting new friends, the
novelty of freedom, and the allure of the opposite sex; the
parties, the all-night chat sessions, and the dank, cramped,
little rooms full of notebooks, photographs, post-it notes, and
corkboards...

The real stuff, basically, and not the wildly unrealistic
silliness that's found in most college-set movies and TV
shows. Undeclared absolutely reeks of the true
"college experience," and it brings those years back to
life in a way that's quietly hilarious, endearingly honest, and
almost uncomfortably familiar.

Not surprisingly, Undeclared has a lot in common with
the also-brilliant Freaks and Geeks: they're both
amazingly funny, and I mean funny in the "Oh jeez,
I've had conversations EXACTLY like this!" sort of
way -- and not the "Oh, he just fell into a toilet!"
way. Both series boast an ensemble cast of young actors who,
quite simply, could not be better suited to work with one
another. As incoming freshman and central schnook Steven, Jay
Baruchel is nothing short of perfect. A walking ball of
normal-kid tics, questions, and insecurities, Baruchel creates a
character you'll adore from the word go.

As Steven's trio of very different new roommates,
Charlie Hunnam, Seth Rogen, and Timm Sharp combine to form one
exceedingly entertaining crew. Sometimes goofy, sometimes tough,
and always very loyal, these guys are precisely like the old
college pals you used to know and love. As the lovely ladies from
across the hall, Carla Gallo and Monica Keena bring a sort of
sweet and realistic femininity that you very rarely see on TV
these days -- and as Steven's somewhat clueless but always
adoring father, Loudon Wainwright is an absolute revelation.
Known mainly for his impressive career in music, Wainwright
creates a character who, on the surface, seems broad and goofy
–- but there's some real heart and emotion underneath,
which means he fits into the ensemble just perfectly.

Populating the background is a brilliant bunch of recurring
characters: Christina Payano, as Tina, has an appearance-to-laugh
ratio of about .955; as the clueless R.A. Lucien, Kevin Rankin is
lots of fun; there's Jarrett Grode as the hysterically glib
know-it-all Perry; and then there's Jason Segel, as Lizzie's
ex-boyfriend Eric, who is drop-dead hilarious on every single
visit.

Leave it to the co-producer of one of the finest
"high school shows" ever made (again, that'd be Freaks
and Geeks, and yes, you should be taking notes) to deliver
one of the finest glimpses of college ever brought to the small
screen. Frankly, Judd Apatow's creations are simply too damn good
for network television, which might explain why both series were
canceled before they reached their 19th episodes. This might come
as bittersweet praise to Mr. Apatow, but deep down he knows it's
true: Judd, your shows are simply too smart, too sweet, and too
heart-wrenchingly familiar for the average Joe Sixpack to enjoy.

But thank the lord Jeebus for the advent of DVD, because now a
series like Undeclared can be discovered and re-discovered
by the kinds of people who adore whip-smart writing, poignant and
warm recollections, and great, young actors who work together
like a fine-tuned orchestra. To say that Undeclared is
unfit for the Fox network is like saying that champagne is unfit
for McDonald's.

But enough with the Fox-bashing. Frankly we owe the network a
debt of thanks for greenlighting the show in the first place ...
even if they did act like blithering infants once it came to
promoting and supporting the series. So while you sit back to
enjoy this fantastic 4-disc set, you should shake your symbolic
fist at the Fox folks for canceling the show so stupidly –-
while also silently thanking them for the production money in the
first place.

And there's one final thing I noticed while doing my
research and enjoying the holy hell out of the Undeclared
DVDs: the episode directors! The seven directors who worked on
the 17 episodes of Undeclared are as follows:

Judd Apatow – producer of Freaks and Geeks
and the Will Ferrell flicks Anchorman and Kicking &
Screaming, and writer of the upcoming comedies The 40
Year-Old Virgin and Fun with Dick and Jane

Jay Chandrasekhar – member of the Broken Lizard
comedy troupe, writer/director of Super Troopers, Club
Dread, and the upcoming Dukes of Hazzard

Jon Favreau – well-admired character actor, writer
of Swingers and Made, director of Made, Elf,
and the upcoming Zathura

Paul Feig – creator of Freaks and Geeks,
writer/director of I Am David

John Hamburg – writer of Meet the Parents, Zoolander,
Along Came Polly & Meet the Fockers

Greg Mottola – writer/director of he
Daytrippers (which is a movie you need to rent)

(Also interesting to note that several of these directors also
did some work on Arrested Development, which, The
Simpsons notwithstanding, is basically the only bastion of
great, grown-up humor still left on the Fox network.)

A few random notes before we get to the disc inventories:

1. Yes, there are some songs missing from the episodes. From
the mouth of Judd Apatow himself: "We were able to clear
96 percent of the music, and the songs we couldn't get, about
ten, were not important songs. So we did really well there. There
were some people like Jay Z and Outkast that weren't huge when we
used there music and now they wanted too much money or just said
no." A slight disappointment, but in no way a big deal.

2. Fans of the Freaks and Geeks "Ultimate Yearbook
Edition" DVD will want to know that this 4-disc Undeclared
set is the ONLY one being released. So if you're waiting for the
slightly swankier and more expensive Undeclared set ...
you just saved twenty bucks. Feel free to pre-order right now.

3. Once again, and for no good reason, Fox decided to air a
series completely out of production order, which certainly
doesn't help when you're talking about minor things like
character development and the gradual evolution of the kids'
relationships. The DVD places the episodes in their original
production order*, but I've included each episode's original
airdate, just so you can see the pointlessly random way in which
Fox (mis)handled the series. I'll also include each episode's
most enjoyable cameo appearances, as there are several.

Disc 1

Episode 101 – "Prototype"(Original
Airdate: 9-25-01)

Clueless, dorky, and entirely lovable college freshman Steven
Karp arrives at his new dorm and meets up with roommates Lloyd,
Ron & Marshall, as well as the two adorable co-eds from
across the hall: Lizzie & Rachel. A floor party leads to a
night of potential carnality for the youthful virgin, but
Steven's sad-sack papa Hal shows up, whining about his impending
divorce. (Hey, look it's: Tom Welling!)

Steven feels
deservedly proud of losing his virginity to the lovely Lizzie,
but Lloyd tells him he has to get busy a second time for it to
"mean" anything long-term. Steven and Lizzie go on a
date to see American Pie, but her annoying old boyfriend,
Eric, ruins the moment. (Hey, look it's: Amy Poehler! And Fred
Willard!)

This is the original version of episode 102A, with the same
"main plot" – only this time Steven and Lizzie's
date takes them to a Ted Nugent lecture. The explanation as to
why this episode was later re-shot is best left to the
professionals, so be sure to check out the commentary track. (Hey,
look it's: Ted Nugent! and Fred Willard again!)

--Audio Commentary with Judd Apatow, actor Fred
("Professor Duggan") Willard, and writer/producer
Kristofor Brown (note: this commentary runs a good four minutes
longer than the actual episode, so listen in for extra goodness!)

Episode 103 – "Eric Visits"(10-2-01)

Lizzie's boyfriend Eric stops by for an eventful visit;
Lloyd and Ron sit down (drunk) to enjoy "You've Got
Mail," and Rachel convinces Marshall that
"wearing" a pet will help him become a campus stud. (Hey,
look it's: Mike White!)

Tuition troubles dictate that Steven get a job at the dorm
cafeteria; meanwhile, Rachel starts dating an acting major who
has the annoying habit of perpetual impersonation. After
incurring the wrath of cafeteria manager Mr. Birundi, Steven
tires of the gig, but reconsiders when his father becomes a
waiter to help pay the college bills. (Special praise due to:
Geoffrey Arend as Jimmy, a young actor who does a great Pacino
and a near-flawless Walken! And watch out for Gerry Bednob as the
hilariously apoplectic Mr. Birundi!)

Marshall's suffering from an awful fever, and he decides to
subject himself to Rachel's herbal remedies. And down the hall in
the dorm rec room, the non-sex-having coeds congregate nightly to
gripe about their rutting roommates. (Hey, look it's: (the very
beautiful) Katharine Towne! (a.k.a. the ex-Mrs. Charlie Hunnam!))

Episode 106 – "The Assistant"(11-13-01)
Geek chaos erupts when Adam Sandler comes to the campus for a
concert, but things get even more insane when the famous funnyman
stops by the dorm for a visit –- and takes Lizzie back to
his hotel. (Hey, look it's: Adam Sandler and his frequent
partners-in-crime Allen Covert & John Loughran!)

Desperately afraid that they've slipped entirely into the
"friend zone" with their girlfriends from across the
hall, the boys concoct an elaborate game of Truth or Dare to
spice up the romantic angle. (Hey, look it's: Freaks and Geeks
alumnus Busy Philipps!)

The gang get their very first credit cards, and things get a
little wacky: Ron and Lloyd become addicted to the online stock
market, Marshall discovers the power of "the wad," and
Steven, Lizzie, and Rachel use their newfound bankroll to buy
some essays from a speed-freak townie guy. (Hey, look it's:
Will Ferrell as the speed-freak townie guy!)

--Unaired Footage: "Acting Exercises,"
"Throwing Quarters at Lloyd," "Video Games and
Speed," and "Coming Down off Video Games and
Speed"

Rachel accidentally lets Eric know that Lizzie and Steven have
done "the deed," so the loopy copy-shop manager races
to the dorm in a rage. Lloyd and Steven pay homage to Fight
Club to prepare for the inevitable altercation. (Hey, look
it's: David Krumholtz and Tenacious D's Kyle Gass as Eric's
copy-shop posse!)

Steven discovers the beauty of religion at the same time that
Lloyd embraces the angst-laden mindset of existentialism. Lizzie
& Rachel turn their newly vacant room into a swingin' party
pad. (Hey, look it's: the hilarious Kevin Hart as a
bible-lovin' college boy – in an episode that never made it
to the airwaves!)

Various family members hit the dorm: Steven's estranged
parents make things weird; Rachel's suspicious mama finds a cache
of illicit goods; and Ron falls in love with Lloyd's adorable
sister. (Hey, look it's: Mary Kay Place as Rachel's worry-wart
of a mother! and Kimberly (daughter of Rod) Stewart as Lloyd's
ultra-smokin' sibling!)

Lloyd, Ron, and Marshall do everything they can to stop Steven
from pledging a fraternity. Lizzie makes things harder by signing
up for the "little sister" sorority treatment. Rachel
and new roommate Tina have a music war. Note: As an ex-fraternity
guy, this episode is absolutely my favorite of the series.
Apatow's crew skewers the Greek system like it truly deserves. (Hey,
look it's: Freaks and Geeks alumni Samm Levine and Natasha
Melnick!)

Steven hates the frat's pledging rituals, so he quits, thereby
sparking a war between the dorm boys and the greek goofballs.
Across the hall, Lizzie and Tina notice that Rachel's starting to
gain that unsightly "freshman 15." (Plus we get a
second visit from good ol' Samm Levine, a kid who's always a
freakin' hoot.)

Lloyd coaches Steven on how to become "the man" in
his romance with Lizzie; needless to say, Lloyd's advice leads to
a lot of angst as the coeds head out for a night on the town. (Hey,
look it's: fine French femme Alexa Davalos and our old pal Busy
Philipps!)

Steven tries to plan the perfect evening for him and Lizzie,
but dorky high-school pal Theo pops up and threatens to ruin the
mood –- before Ron, Lloyd, and Marshall bring him to a
swingin' floor party. (Hey, look it's: yet another Freaks and
Geeks alumni: Martin Starr!)

Steve's dad and the head resident advisor strike up an
unlikely romance, thereby igniting the impotent fury of Lucien,
the 4th floor R.A. Also, Marshall finds love with a Japanese girl
who speaks no English. (Say hello again to the awesome Amy
Poehler, and a round of applause for Kevin Rankin as Lucien, who
pops up every few episodes to steal the show.)

Next up is a 9-minute series of rehearsals entitled Roommate
Anxiety, Do Not Disturb, Steven Party Invite, Marshall
Party Invite, Perry's Party Pitch, and Salsa

Loudon Wainwright Live features eight concert clips
from the rather brilliant songwriter / singer / musician. The
playlist is: Bill of Goods, My Biggest Fan, Heaven,
When You Leave, The World, Motel Blues, Primrose
Hill, and White Wings. All together this fantastic
mini-concert runs a full 30 minutes, and there's a text bio
offered as well, so you can get to know Mr. Wainwright a little
better.

Mr. Apatow gets things rolling in typically self-deprecating
form before introducing a pair of episodes for an appreciative
audience ("Hillary and Hal" & "Eric's
POV"). Once we come back from the break (and wait through a
thorough dispersement of microphones), Christina Payano has
joined the panel, and now it's question time. Our moderator keeps
the info flowing along, and director Greg Mottola joins the panel
about halfway through. Then it's time for questions from the
audience members, all of which are met with clever answers and
good humor.

The final supplement is an episode script called
"Lloyd's Rampage," which was meant to be the
opening episode of season 2 ... a season that, sadly, never came.

The Specs

The A/V specifications are pretty much top-drawer. The
episodes are presented in their original fullscreen format, and
they look just as good as they did back in 2001 and '02**.
Audio is presented in your choice of Dolby Digital 2.0 or DD 5.1,
and either track should suit your needs quite nicely. I opted for
the 5.1 because there's lots of good music to be found sprinkled
throughout Undeclared.

Final
Thoughts

All Judd Apatow has to do in order to create an amazingly
successful and long-running TV series is this: forget about
warmth and wit and chemistry; stick firmly to the established
formula, employ a flimsy gimmick, and make sure that every line
of dialogue is riddled with predictable jokes, meaningless
platitudes, and goofy pratfalls ... oh, and always be sure to
hire one actor who can do a rrrrreally silly accent.
That's the stuff that sells T-shirts, folks.

It used to be that when a show was canceled real quickly
–- it was because the show was usually pretty terrible.
Nowadays those tables are turned; the awful shows get to be awful
for seven consecutive seasons, while the unique, the weird, the
creative, and the sincere get tossed in the trash-pile for the
unforgivable sin of not being a "instant mega-smash
hit."

Undeclared is an absolute joy of a TV series, full of
painful memories, fond nostalgia, a warm-hearted sense of honest
humor, and an almost palpable sense of sweetness. This stuff
might not be "good enough" for the Fox network, but
it's found a very welcome home in my DVD player, and this stellar
4-disc set is absolutely worthy of our highest recommendation: DVD
Talk Collector's Series. Rent one disc from Netflix and you'll be planning to buy the whole set in less than 40 minutes. (And a loud round of applause for the fine folks at Shout! Factory for giving this wonderfully enjoyable TV series such a superlative DVD treatment.)

* A note from Mr. Apatow himself:

Friends,

I hate to say it, but we made a mistake. The episodes are not in the proper order. How does that happen? Well, the network ran them in a random order, so we started shooting them without too much concern for episode order, and then when it was time to make this DVD we got confused. But fear not, below is the the preferred order of episodes for Undeclared for your enjoyment.

(**A look at the final product of these discs shows a fairly gritty picture. It's not a huge problem through out the discs but manifests itself as a real blotchy look in some of the darker scenes Example 1Example 2 -- ed.)